


Beta

by yeaka



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Gen, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-07
Updated: 2019-11-07
Packaged: 2021-01-24 18:15:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21342577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: The Doctor requires adjustments.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 22





	Beta

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Star Trek or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

The Doctor is in the middle of a medical report when Lieutenant B’Elanna Torres strolls through the door, arms swinging and hair swishing in her self-made wind. She’s always a strong presence, someone who dominates whatever space she steps into: she fits the definition of an alpha perfectly, and it’s not all just her Klingon DNA. The Doctor files the report away and rises from his desk, coming to join her. 

She crosses his arm and bluntly asks, “You rang?”

The Doctor straightens, folds his hands behind his back, and cheerily informs her, “I’ve decided to adjust my programming to that of an omega.”

B’Elanna pauses. Then she asks, “What?”

“Naturally, you’ll have to do this; while I would be quite happy to be the only one able to tamper with my program, this would be too complex an addition to risk on self-medication. I have every confidence that you will do an excellent job.”

B’Elanna lifts both brows, giving him that _look_, both incredulous and insulting. Because that’s a natural expression on her, The Doctor lets it slide. 

Finally, she says, “Why the _hell_ would you want that?”

“I should think it would be obvious.” He’d expected some resistance, only because B’Elanna always provides resistance, but his logic is sound. “Nearly every member of the crew has a designation except me. I simply feel left out.”

“Only the humans.”

“The crew is mostly human, and I’m modeled after one. It would help me connect better with them if I were to be _fully_ human.”

“But... _why_?”

“I believe I just answered that.”

Somehow, B’Elanna manages to lift her eyebrows even higher. It gives The Doctor a chance to muse aloud, “To be perfectly frank, I haven’t fully decided on the best designation for me. But I think an alpha might be too intimidating, don’t you think? I need my patients to relax around me.” Although, he pauses, a new string of thought entering his consciousness. “Then again, if I’m an omega treating an alpha, there’s a chance they wouldn’t listen to me...”

B’Elanna clearly isn’t listening; she goes right back to her base problem. “But... why either? What would that even look like on a hologram? It’s not like you can have heats.”

“Of course I could.” That being the most conspicuous part of one’s designation, The Doctor gave it a great deal of thought. “All you would have to do is program the common symptoms on a regular cycle.”

“But... how would you deal with them... you can’t...” She gestures vaguely, and he gets the picture. It would be complicated to copulate with an organic being, though he can be solid when he chooses. Fortunately, Voyager is equipped with more options.

“I can avail myself of the holodeck.”

B’Elanna stares at him, then rolls her eyes and mutters, “Fine. That’ll be ridiculously awkward for me to program, but I _guess_ I can, technically, program you to have heats.”

“Excellent. I would appreciate pheromone adjustments as well.”

She gives him a deadpanned look that would have one of the younger ensigns shaking. The Doctor has no such reaction.

He settles for: “There’s no rush. I understand this will be a complex undertaking, but I’m sure you’ll manage the modifications eventually.”

B’Elanna huffs out a breath of air. She shakes her head, but thankfully doesn’t argue further, probably because she must realize that The Doctor is absolutely correct. Once again, he’s improved upon their ship in a way the organic crew couldn’t even have conceived of.

B’Elanna turns and walks away, but as she reaches the door, The Doctor calls, “Wait, on second thought, an alpha would prove more authoritative to stubborn crewmembers. Make me an alpha.”

B’Elanna turns back to give him an annoyed look, then leaves. He changes his mind again, because omega pheromones would activate other omega crewmembers’ trust instincts with him. He races after her, just bursting good ideas.


End file.
